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Spice and Sandalwood
Fully Escorted Tour – 16 Days / 15 Nights

Chennai – Pondicherry – Swamimalai – Chettinadu – Madurai – Munnar – Thekkady (Periyar National Park) Vagamon – Kumarakom – Kochi – Mumbai

BEST SEASON - September to April

South India – a journey into timeless India, a kaleidoscope of moods, retaining much of its traditional charm. Rich in its treasures of exquisite temples, forts and palaces. An abundance of tea, coffee and spice plantations. It is the only natural habitat of the very fragrant sandalwood trees. Here we explore South India from the Eastern Ghats (Chennai) to the Western Ghats (Kochi).

Day 1, 2 and 3 – Arrive Chennai. Stay at Fisherman’s Cove (Covelong). Sightseeing

Explore Chennai – Fort St. George, Santhome Cathedral, National Art Gallery.

Also visit ‘Kalashetra’ an academy of classical music and dance, and interact with both teachers and students at the various dance classes.

Visit Kanchipuram, one of India's seven sacred cities, boasting spectacular temples and shrines. It is the only city associated with both Shiva and Vishnu. Kanchipuram is also famous for its fine silk saris.

Relax at Covelong beach.

Day 4 - Drive to Pondicherry (about 4 hours) – via Mahabalipuram. Stay at Hotel de l’orient (18th century). Sightseeing, including Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Visit two World Heritage Sites, Arjuna’s Penance or the Descent of the Ganga, the world’s largest bas-relief, and the Shore Temp. Mahabalipuram also boasts an excellent open-air museum where you can watch stonemasons at work.

Enjoy a walking tour of Pondicherry to truly experience this former French colonial enclave.

Day 5 and 6 – Drive to Swamimalai (about 4 hours). Stay at a heritage hotel.

Swamimalai is a sylvan village, situated about five kilometres west of Kumbakonam on the banks of a tributary of the Cauvery River.

Visit Tanjore, en route stop at the unused temples at Gangai Konda Cholapuram and Darasuram and the living temple at Chidambaram.

Explore Tanjore (Thanjavur) with its 93 temples, the most famous being the Brihadishwara Temple, dominating the ancient town. Fortified walls and a moat surround the temple itself, between the Grand Anicut Canal and the old town. The old town, too, used to be similarly enclosed, but most of the walls have now disappeared. What remains are winding streets and alleys and the extensive ruins of the Palace of the Nayaks of Madurai.

Day 7 – Drive to Chettinadu (about 4 hours). Stay at the Mansion ( a heritage home located at Chettinadu, famous for its fortress-like heritage homes and temples made by Chettiars of Tamilnadu, offering cuisine that is straight out of a real Chettinadu kitchen)

En route visit Trichy, famous for its Rock Fort Temple and Srirangam Temple.

Explore Chettinadu Mansion and wander through the town to see local craftsmen at work in the living museums of wood and stonework.

Day 8 and 9 – Drive to Madurai (about 3 hours). Stay at Taj Garden Retreat.
The ancient city of Madurai is patterned on the lotus flower with the temple of Goddess Meenakshi at the centre. Visit the Sri Meenakshi Temple for the aarti ceremony, a religious observance in which oil lamps are offered to God for divine light. Explore this temple town renowned for its textiles.

Also visit Tirumalai Palace (1636), restored by Lord Napier, where dance/drama performances are given daily.

Day 10 – Drive to Munnar (about 4 hours) . Stay at the Windermere Estate, set amongst a cardamom plantation.

Walk amongst the spice plantations. Visit tea estates.

Day 11 – Drive to Periyar National Park (about 4 hours) . Stay at the Shalimar Spice.

Safari and boat ride into the park, home to wild elephants and variety of birds. Visit the spice plantations.

Day 12 – Drive to Vagamon (about 2 hours). Stay at a heritage hotel.

Vagamon is a hillside village surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens. Grass covered hills and the cool mountain air make Vagamon a perfect retreat.

Day 13 – Drive to Kumarakom. (about 2 hours) Stay at Kumarakom Lake Resort on the shores of Vembanad Lake. The resort has Ayurvedic and Yoga facilities. Enjoy a sunset cruise on Lake Vembanad. Visit the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary for its abundance of birdlife such as Siberian stork, wild duck, herons, darters, waterfowl. Have lunch with a local family at a spice plantation.

Day 14 – Drive to Kochi (about 2 hours). Stay at the Taj Malabar.

Visit the oldest Jewish Synagogue in India, built in 1568. Also visit The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry, see the Chinese fishing nets lining the entrance to the harbour mouth . Visit a local home to sample regional dishes and a sari tying demonstration.

Visit St. Francis Church. In the evening enjoy a Kathakali dance performance.

Day 15 – Fly to Mumbai. Stay at the Taj. Sightseeing.

Day 16 – Flight to onward destination.

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